Tougher penalties for workplace safety offences have come into effect in Western Australia as part of moves to modernise outdated laws in the state.
The penalties are consistent with the national model Work Health and Safety Act, and raise the maximum term of imprisonment from two years to five years.
Level four offences, which include fatalities, now attract a maximum $2.7 million penalty for first time offenders and $3.5 million for repeat offenders, up from $500,000 and $625,000 respectively.
Penalties for level one offences, which are breaches of the regulations but don't include injuries, have increased even more dramatically.
First time offence fines have jumped from $50,000 to $450,000 while repeat offenders face $570,000 fines, up from $62,500.
The state government is still considering whether to introduce industrial manslaughter laws, a spokeswoman told AAP.
"While penalties are important, they are not enough," UnionsWA assistant secretary Owen Whittle said.
He said WA had Australia's weakest workplace health and safety penalties for many years and the reforms would save lives.
But they needed to be policed, he said, urging the cash-strapped state government to reverse funding cuts to WorkSafe.
The state government hopes to introduce other modernised workplace health and safety laws to parliament next year.
"All workers have the right to return home safely from work," Premier Mark McGowan said.
Share
